Dr. Oetker Stories
Accelerating Action on International Women’s Day
Gender equality is the central focus of International Women’s Day (IWD). #Accelerate Action, the motto of 2025, emphasizes the high relevance of the topic worldwide. Dr. Oetker promotes meaningful measures intended to have an impact not only on IWD but also beyond.
5.3.2025 • Company and Culture
International Women’s Day (IWD), marked annually on March 8, is a global day recognizing the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Throughout its long history, this day has been a call to action for women’s equality all over the world.
Increasing industrialization in the early 1900s highlighted women’s inequality. Women became more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Advocating for gender equality is the central concern of IWD – then and now. #AccelerateAction is the IWD’s motto in 2025 emphasizing the high relevance of the topic worldwide. As a company active in over 40 countries and working intensively on sustainability goals, Dr. Oetker is committed to fostering and promoting equal opportunities, and inclusivity. Empowering women is vital for innovation, growth, and a better future for all. Based on this commitment, the company’s Diversity & Inclusion team has initiated meaningful measures and call to actions that are intended to have a lasting impact. The wide range of creative activities is supported by colleagues worldwide and raises awareness of the importance of gender equality.
Do you know that….
- …at the current rate of progress, it will take 134 years to reach full gender parity in 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, according to data from the World Economic Forum.
- …after the end of the First World War and the revolution, the time had come in 1918, women were given the right to vote and stand for election in Germany, Austria, Poland, and Russia.
- …today, there are still countries in which it is difficult or impossible for women to vote. These include Bhutan, Brunei and Saudi Arabia.
Learning from each other – entering into dialogue
As in previous years, the company has organized a speaker session for employees around the globe – to inspire, educate, and empower them through interesting life stories and narratives. This year Caitlin Wood, a 28-year-old racing driver and coach, shows what’s possible for women in motorsport. As the first Australian woman to win a class at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife, Wood continues to pursue her ambitious goal of becoming the first Australian woman to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. She shares her journey, the challenges she has overcome in a traditionally male-dominated field, and her vision for empowering women to chase their dreams – on and off the track. Many colleagues joined the digital meeting, and the lecture led to a lively discussion. Learning from each other is highly valued at Dr. Oetker. That’s why we are spotlighting some of the remarkable women across different functions in the company and get their thoughts on women in business. “What is their advice for others? What do they do to help #AccelerateAction in their team, our organization, or society at large?” – We are happy to share four of them here.
Can you describe your role? What aspects of your job do you find most rewarding, and why?
As a member of the Executive Board, I’m responsible for driving Marketing, Research &
Development and Sustainability topics and projects at Dr. Oetker. I find it rewarding to see when many different views come together to one great idea. How its often the many small steps coming from different directions making a big difference in the end – if all are lead to the same greater goal. And how people grow personally and professionally from their experiences, especially when they’re in an inspiring and supportive environment.
What does this year’s International Women’s Day theme #AccelerateAction mean to you?
For me personally, it’s a bold reminder, that change does not happen without acts. It
means, that I use my power every day to forge positive visibility of people who might benefit from that. On an organizational level, we "Accelerate Action" by promoting diversity and inclusion within our company, raising awareness, fostering equal opportunities, building diverse teams, and creating space for multiple perspectives.
What’s one piece of practical advice you’d give others to create more visibility, influence and impact change?
Find allies and support one another. And while doing that, stay authentic, remember your strengths and stand up for yourself.
What skills or traits have been most valuable to your success, and how can others develop them?
There is no such thing as a blueprint for a successful career. But I've always focused on
my strengths and listened to myself - I can only recommend that to anyone. Remember, there are multiple opportunities in life: If you chose to change your direction at some point, that does not mean you can’t come back or make another turn at a later stage. Just keep trying.
Beyond International Women’s Day, the company initiates trainings on relevant topics, for example “How to break bias” or “How Psychological Safety Enables Success”. These regular trainings and open dialogues raise awareness, challenge stereotypes, and foster a culture that values inclusion for all gender identities.
Moreover, Dr. Oetker organizes Female Leader’s Talks throughout the year, where female executives speak about their careers, motivations, and learnings. For International Women’s Day, we have compiled inspiring quotes from the past. We are happy to also share some of them here – and our colleagues can look forward to the talks planned for 2025.
Sharing your thoughts - raising your voice
International Women’s Day has created branded “pledge cards” that can be used by everybody to illustrate commitment for gender equality. That's what we do! Approximately 230 employees in six different languages have participated in this campaign. The images are also used to create a meeting background for employees for video calls. Take a look.
“Standing together and uniting for something is inspiring and powerful. Creating opportunities to share whether through talks, trainings or employee resource groups, we are committed to driving meaningful change." Minouch Mahbod-Gonser, Senior Executive Manager, People and Culture, International
For more information please contact:
Birgit Deker
Pressesprecherin People & Culture